Murder in Manhattan by Verity Bright Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 29 June 2023
Publisher: Bookouture
Format: Print, e-book and audio
Series: A Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery #14
Genre: Historical Mystery, Cosy Mystery

Synopsis

Glitzy parties, sightseeing at the Statue of Liberty and strolls through Central Park with Gladstone the bulldog… Lady Eleanor Swift is loving her first trip to the city that never sleeps, until she witnesses a murder!

After crossing from England on the SS Celestiana, Lady Eleanor Swift sets up her home-away-from-home in a lavish apartment in New York City. She is soon the toast of the town, with no high-class soirée complete without her presence. Of course, she drags her butler Clifford and Gladstone the bulldog along to every party too.

But when she witnesses the charming doorman of her building, Marty, knocked down and killed in a hit-and-run, she finds fashionable society suddenly closes rank. The only local detective interested in helping her find the culprit is street-smart beat cop, Officer Balowski.

Resolved to get justice for Marty and his family, Eleanor searches Marty’s tiny apartment and is shocked to find five rolls of banknotes tucked under the floorboards. Money talks, but Marty was struggling to make ends meet, so where did the cash come from?

The next day, wealthy entrepreneur and flashy philanderer Ogden P. Dellaney – a man Marty used to work for – is found dead downtown, miles away from his swanky Upper East Side mansion. Eleanor and Balowski are sure the deaths are connected, but not even Dellaney’s wife is willing to answer their questions.

Then Eleanor is served with an eviction notice and Balowski is fired from the NYPD. It becomes clear that something is rotten in the Big Apple and Eleanor is determined to get to the core of the mystery before the murderer strikes again…

My Thoughts

After a very eventful sea voyage from England, newly engaged Eleanor (Ellie) and her staff are excited to begin their holiday in New York. Ellie, as a titled English lady, is a curiosity and is overwhelmed by the many invitations extended to her by New York's social set. For support, she takes along Gladstone (the bulldog) and Clifford (the butler), both of whom get their own share of attention. Clifford's presence also ensures that Ellie doesn't commit too many social faux pas.

But once again, another holiday is disrupted by murder when she witnesses the death of Marty, the doorman of her apartment building, in what she believes is a deliberate hit and run, but deemed an accident by the authorities. With Clifford's help Ellie launches her own investigation, crossing paths with some unscrupulous people and venturing into some of the less salubrious areas of New York. Before the case is solved, Ellie and her loyal gang will face death threats, ostracism by high society, kidnapping and a thrilling chase in New York's most famous landmark.

I did say in my review of Death on Deck that I thought it was the best instalment so far, but I have to say Murder in Manhattan is a strong rival for that title. It is filled with so many colourful (and stereotypical) characters. To name a few, we have Iver Driver, the taxi driver; Officer Balowski, the beat cop; Mrs Melchum, the crusty old lady who is Ellie's neighbour in the apartment building; Catamina, Mrs Melchum's cat, who is responsible for Gladstone's bad behaviour; the thugs, one with a scarred face; and the self-centred rich socialites and wealthy business men flaunting their wealth and power. Their interaction is a delight. And, of course, there is the city of New York itself, providing a wonderful backdrop to Ellie's investigation.

Woven into the hunt for a murderer is Ellie and Clifford's exposure to life in New York, which includes trying to understand the New York vernacular and sampling the culinary delights the city has to offer such as hot dogs and hamburgers.

All the elements that make this series so compelling are present: a number of suspects, plot twists, the banter between Ellie and Clifford, a thrilling chase and a wrapping up that always ends on a high note.

Murder in Manhattan, like all the other books in the series, was so much fun to read! As always, I'm looking forward to the next book.

Meet the Author

Verity Bright is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing partnership that has spanned a quarter of a century. Starting out writing high-end travel articles and books, they published everything from self-improvement to humour, before embarking on their first historical mystery. They are the authors of the fabulous Lady Eleanor Swift Mystery series, set in the 1920s.

Connect with Verity: Twitter



Where to Purchase

Amazon

You can sign up for all the best Bookouture deals you'll love HERE.

Blog Tour Schedule